The Emerald Hollow

Dominant: High Elves   Minority: Wood Elves, Half Elves   Enclaves: Drow, Dusk elves   Singular: Dragonborn

The Hollow stands divided, more so than at any point since the Shadow Days. The two groups that vie for ideological supremacy are:  

The Circle:

  Traditionalists through and through, the Circle caution against turning the Hollow's gaze too far from the Hollow. While many elves believe it is not enough to simply hide away in the Sommerwald waiting for danger to find them, the Circle preach careful self-reflection, and patience. They understand it will be many, many generations before the World Tree has been returned to it's former glory, and are wary of overextending themselves. Seeking out excitement, yearning for change, will only invite destruction, as it did before.   Tending to the Silent Arbor is the sacred duty of the Circle Druids. At their head are the Archdruid, sometimes not even an elf at all, and the emissary-figurehead called the Blessed Rose. Together with their fellows of the Circle, they preach an outlook of inward reflection. The Sommerwald, the Arbor, and the fae gateways are enough for them.  

The Cruthanium:

  The Hollow's defenses are more than just magical.   The organization called the Cruthanium has recently gained many followers in recent times. They represent the growing discontent of the Hollow Elves, who have been told to content themselves with living their lives ignorant of the outside world, waiting for a day that will not come until they are long dead. Those of the Cruthanium wish to venture out into the outside world, to meet danger before it ever as much as brushes the edge of the Sommerwald.   But more than that, they wish to study Sableheim. Learn it's ways, understand it's peoples, and how to manipulate them.

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  The duty of governance is split between these two factions. Food production and most educational purposes are controlled by the Circle, while much of the political strength is concentrated in the Cruthanium.

The Emerald Hollow is less of a city and more of a series of cities scattered strung out like a necklace. Several settlements line the river, with houses that spiral out over the waters on the backs of old greatwoods. Another settlement snakes its way around the valley where the Hollow is centralized. Some of the most beautiful and entrancing architecture on Saheim can be found here, molded from stone and wood. Underground is where the bulk of the population lives, sheltering in the embrace of the long-dead roots of the world-tree, and the great caverns they created.   Deeper still is the Deepgloam, a place less trafficked by elves and more by the subterranean races who lived here before the Elves came to lay down roots.While their presence is tolerated, is is generally looked upon with disdain.